Chapter 1: A new guest

The west side of Pentagram City turned into a slaughterhouse, corpses, meat chunks and entrails strewn about on the streets and draped all over the buildings. Small streams of blood were already forming on the sidewalks, all of them leaking in the sewers. The surviving demons of the gory crusade were starting to emerge from their hiding spots, all of them unscathed, as if spared from the divine wrath of the green titan that tore through the district. A lone white limo drove on the streets, patrolling for any who were still alive. Charlie focused on driving through, but still spared a shocked glance at the butchery of her kind. Vaggie gripped her spear tight, though more out of fear than readiness. Alastor grinned, his eyes now full red and marveling at the utter devastation before him.

"Dear God…" Angel broke the shocked silence for them all.

"Bodies everywhere, buildings blown to smithereens and on fire, blood flowing in gallons… Yep. It's him." Cherri prepared her bombs and bazooka, opening the sunroof and ready to jump out through it in case the giant decided to launch a rocket at them.

"Whaddaya see up there, babe?" Angel kept an eye on the right side while Alastor covered the rear and Vaggie was on the lookout on the right.

"Dead schmucks everywhere, a few collapsed structures… Wait. Princey, there. On our right." Cherri spotted a few survivors flagging them down, Charlie steering the limo and driving up to them, opening the windows in the process. Three lonesome demons, two of them imps and a demonette were running out of an alley and right by the side of the limo.

"You guys ok?" Cherri asked, but the escapees were shaken to even acknowledge her.

"You gotta run! You can't go that way, he's… he… he's a monster!" One of the imps started babbling, prompting the other to nod in response.

"Please, we can't stay here. That thing might come back." The blue demonette tried to warn them, but Angel peaked out of the side of the limo.

"Whoa, hold up, toots. What happened here?"

"He… I-he just-I-… I don't know where even came from, but Louie, Dewey and me were hanging out here, daily drinking meeting, nothing out of the ordinary. Then, out of fucking nowhere, this… this… green armored t-thing came striding down the street with a shotgun and a rocket launcher in his hands. He just… stood there at first, looking around for something. One of Val's thugs walked up to him and tried threatening him." The blue demonette stopped for breath before continuing.

"That's when… Well, see for yourself." She gestured to the street.

"That maniac blasted him and continued down the street before more of Val's cronies showed up, but… yeah…" Louie, the straight-horned imp with a mechanic uniform explained.

"Soon enough, more gangs joined in, trying to take that guy on alone, but they all died. Weird, though…" Dewey, the concierge for one of the nearby sex hotels, summed it up.

"What was?" Cherri egged him on.

"… He only shot at those that attacked him. The others that did nothing to him, well, he just watched them, as if looking for something. Everyone else got ripped to shreds, literally." Dewey finished his story. Just as he did, another larger group of demons came from down the street, all of them shaken up and trying to stick together despite some of them arguing. Before long, they spotted the limo and the other three, Charlie turning the car off and stepping outside with her friends following.

"Dewey! Thank Satan you're ok!" A little female imp ran up to him, hugging him tightly.

"Told ya, sis. I can handle myself." He proclaimed proudly.

"Like you handled you fucking bladder when that green menace rampaged through the streets?" The blue demonette elbowed him while grinning.

"Shut your pie hole, Kacey." He grimaced.

"Yo, Brandt. How many are here?" Louie asked a tall hellhound with a greying coat, who seemed to lead the group.

"Twenty in this group. I saw Milton with another, at least fifteen in that one heading out Limbo Street. You see any on your end?" The gruff old dog came to them.

"Just us, man. Not many layabouts on Asmo Boulevard, you know that."

"Dear Satan, it's an actual warzone..." Brandt looked distressed, trying to take his mind off the carnage he witnessed. In doing so, he spotted a peculiar sight at the limo.

"Hey. I know you." He walked up to Charlie, who smiled awkwardly.

"Uh, where from?"

"That stupid news broadcast about that even dumber hotel. Yeah, now I remember. You're Charlotte, right? The Big Man's little girl." No use in hiding it anymore.

"Uhhhhhh… Yeah, that's me. Also the hotel's amazing, pay no attention to the critics and especially if they're vengeful news reporter harlots." In Charlie's defense, some people had it coming.

"Sure, whatevs. Whatchu here for, missy? I doubt it's for advertising that failure of a business model of yours." He chuckled, but Vaggie put her spear on his throat.

"Watch it, pendejo." She gritted out a threat, but the old hound just laughed.

"Please, girly. I'd lay you out faster than you could say 'Oh shit'." Before any more retorts could be fired, another group came up from the block north of them, the seven or so people wading through the streets with a few makeshift weapons in hand, led by an eagle demon. They spotted the gathering, immediately moving out in the open to join them, thankful for other survivors as well.

"Holy hell, it's good to see someone else survived." The eagle spoke, recognizing Dewey, who jumped in for a hug.

"Jessie, you old shitstain! Am I glad to see you alive."

"You too, pipsqueak. You guys ok?" He put the imp down and turned to the groups.

"We good. You see Milton's group?" Kacey asked, trying to find something to eat from the busted up convenience store that was nearby, grabbing a few human flesh snacks and beelzejuice bottles and bringing them over.

"Milton's alive? I thought he and his crew went on a goddamn suicide mission against that monster." Jessie grabbed a bottle of whisky for himself.

"Nah, man. They went south after that freak tore through Calypso Street."

"Think they made it out of the west side?"

"Yo, boys. I totally mean to be that girl when I say what the actual fuck are we sitting around like ducks for? We gotta get out of here, for all we know that thing could be on his way here right now." Another imp called out from beneath the crowd, prompting everyone to look around for any signs of approaching destruction and open their ears for the same.

"She's right, you all cannot stay here. I urge you to evacuate to the center of the Pentagram." Charlie began taking control of the situation, but was immediately challenged for it.

"The fuck? And who're you to tell us what the hell to do? In case you haven't noticed, there's a giant green monster armed with at least three goddamn cannons on the loose throughout the city-" Another demonette got uppity, but Vaggie put a stop to that with a thrown knife at her hair.

"Ok, ok, let's not start fighting among each other just yet. My name is Charlie and I manage a hotel further down the Pentagram. You can all stay there while we resolve this situation." The princess offered, hoping it was enough to help her subjects.

"What? Hon, we're not a boarding house and they're probably gonna treat it as a damn club or some shit." Vaggie objected, but Charlie hushed her.

"Right now they got nowhere to go. And unlike my dad, I actually care about my subjects."

"True, but do they care about you?" Alastor offered a counter question, making her pause.

"That doesn't matter right now. We've got bigger things to worry about." Seeing no answer that would get through to him, Charlie ignored the point and walked up to the arrivals, Jessie in particular.

"Where did you last see the armored man?" She almost demanded.

"I, uh… Last my group saw him was down on Tollbell Avenue. After that, he went towards Calypso Street, but that was over an hour ago." He explained.

"From what I saw last of this guy, he's thorough when it comes to laying waste. He might double back to check for stragglers." Cherri looked toward the smoldering buildings to the northwest, recognizing the work of the Slayer.

"What's it matter, anyhow? Not like he can actually kill us… right? I mean, we can't die except from-" Dewey tried loosening some tension, but Cherri just pointed to one of the bodies.

"How long has she been dead?"

"Over… half an hour… Oh… Oh, dear god, no… no way-" He only accomplished the opposite as realization hit him.

"This guy has Exorcist powers or some other shit. Either way, whoever gets killed by his hands stays that way." Cherri's words sent the groups into rising panic.

"The fuck?!"

"It's true, man! They ain't coming back! Porter got blasted first and he's been dead for over an hour and a half!"

"Holy shit, what're we gonna do, what are we gonna do, what the fuck are we gonna DO?!"

"Everyone settle down!" Brandt growled at them, letting the volatile calm take root before turning to the princess.

"Where's this hotel of yours again?" He asked, igniting a fuse in the group's explosive minds.

"What?! We ain't seriously taking her up on her-"

"Any better ideas?" Silence and fidgety looks were the only answers he got, pleased with the results.

"At the central district near one of… you know what, I'll just show you." She pulled out a map from one of her limo's compartments.

"Why does she have that?" Angel asked.

"I put it there. Just in case." Vaggie explained.

"Dang, you really need to loosen up your fishbowl." The spider laughed, pleased he still had it even in situations like these.

"Don't push it, dickwad. Also, fishbowl? Really?" She just put a knife to his throat. After Charlie was done and the groups all set, she turned to her friends.

"Alright, we're leaving the limo here since it won't fit all of them anyway. I'll put it on lockdown and we can continue down on foot toward the northeast, where this guy was last seen." She was making a plan as she went, seeing as they had little to no info on the Slayer's weaknesses or if he even had any.

"Right, better we not clump up in it since that guy has a rocket launcher. Angie, you know this district, right? How soon can we-" Cherri began but couldn't finish.

A not too distant whooshing was heard from behind the groups, followed by a massive explosion and a building collapsing in a roar of concrete and glass, immediately alerting the entire mass gathering as to who approached.

"Never mind, there he is!" She armed her bazooka while the groups ran screaming in the opposite direction. As soon as they were clear and making sure they weren't trampled by the rush, Charlie and the others turned to the devastation.

"Damn, whoever's in there is probably wishing they joined a convent while they were still alive." Angel commented, prompting the princess to turn to him in reprimand.

"What? I'm right and you know it." He defended himself.

"Come on! If we're doing this, we gotta do it now!" Vaggie was the first to break it up, pointing her spear at the collapsed building. A few shots came after, followed by more yells and tremors, signaling an approaching battle.

"Showtime." The Radio Demon commented, his eyes glowing red, his yellow teeth bared at the sight and his claws extending while gripping his microphone.

"Whatever happens…" Cherri narrowed her eyed, scared out of her mind but nonetheless not letting Angel go in there alone, turning to the group with one final warning.

"… do not let him get you."

As the rubble fog enveloped them, the five demons bravely strode forward into the unknown, their weapons at the ready yet their hearts trembling with uncertainty. One moment it seemed they would all turn tail and run, but the one in front of the formation kept them all together with her unwavering determination to confront this powerful new threat and save her people, no matter how much they didn't want to. Rolling up her sleeves and balling her fists, the heiress to Hell's throne, Charlie was more than ready; she was eager.

"Let's go, gang!"

Five shots, five bodies hitting the pavement and five silenced screams were all that took to make the little imp run for cover. He was exhausted, almost out of ammo and alone, making this fight impossible. The sudden appearance of the titan not only shook them up but also caught all of them off guard, the gangs that attacked him now all obliterated. He hoped he was far enough away to stay hidden and not be spotted by the maniac in green.

"Gotta get away… gotta get to my car- no, wait, that monster's back there, SHIT!" He held a grazed arm, the pain unbelievably affecting him more than usual.

"Why the fuck does it hurt so much?" He muttered to himself, trying to find a way out without being seen. There was no one around to serve as a distraction and he was defenseless, leaving him with little options but to beg for mercy and hope the demon killer had some semblance of it behind that helmet of his. His mind broke out of the despair when five demons rushed past him, one of them stopping the others as he spotted the imp.

"Guys, wait up!" Charlie called them back as she approached the imp, who just mimed to the princess not to come closer. She stopped four feet in front of him before he decided to risk opening his mouth.

"The hell you idiots doing?! Don't you know there's a lunatic on the loose?!" He barely raised his shrill voice, but the panic upped the octaves a bit.

"We do and we need to know exactly where he went." Charlie was firm in her demands but gentle in relaying them.

"What, are you deaf?! He'll kill you! We gotta get outta here before he-" The imp tried reasoning but a spear to his throat interrupted that thought.

"Answer her question." Vaggie wasted no time amplifying the imp's panic with her zealous tendencies.

"Whoa, amiga. Maybe tone it down with the threats. We're not gonna get anything this way and we need info fast." Cherri put a hand on her shoulder, but Vaggie just brushed it off.

"Don't bother, sweet cheeks. She hates the world of man or whatever." Angel bent down to the imp's height.

"You know where that dude went, impy?"

Several shotgun blasts a few hundred meters behind them answered that question as the imp scrambled to his feet.

"Yep, right there! Come on, we need to go as far away from here as possible!" He tried pleading, not wanting to chance an escape alone as to not get brutally murdered, but the faces of the others spoke different.

"No. We're going to stop this, one way or another." Charlie looked the imp in the eyes.

"How many more are still in the streets?"

"What? Lady, listen. Run now, not die, ask never. Capiche, you autist?" The little imp lost his patience with the fools in front of him who just didn't realize they were in mortal peril. Alastor held the foamy-mouthed Vaggie back with a grin while Angel stifled a snicker.

"Please, sir. I'm the Princess of Hell and as such, it is my duty to solve any crisis that may befall my future kingdom. To that end, I need you to tell me how many more people are out there so we can prevent further casualties." Showing literally unholy amounts of patience and understanding, the princess hoped she would get an answer barring any further interruptions.

"Princess of… Wha… Oh, whatever. You wanna know? Fine. The smaller gangs were wiped out since they attacked him first. Val, local overlord in case you didn't know, tried calling in a few 'friends' he had on the force and pretty soon the entire precinct department got into it. No prizes for guessing how that went. The district went into full panic mode and everyone was scrambling to get the hell outta dodge before that freakshow leveled it." He moved past the group, looking both ways before turning to them one last time.

"Last word of advice; whatever you do, do not fire on him. Those that hid, ran or didn't fight he left alone for some reason. Those that fought got gutted or blasted. Not sticking around here anymore, lady. Good luck with whatever you're planning. You're gonna need it." With that final warning, the imp dashed off, leaving a wondering princess behind.

"So… what do we do? Charge in or call in the big guns?" Angel asked no one in particular. The others paid little attention to him as they looked to Charlie, who was now starting to slowly pace in thought.

"Charlie? You ok, baby?" Vaggie tried getting her attention, but it was no use as the princess was deep in her own head. A few moments later, her eyes lit up slightly.

"He can be reasoned with." She silently exclaimed although the others heard her.

"What? What are you talking about, princey?" Cherri asked, not eager to stay in one place for too long.

"Back at the site of the first event, he spared you, correct Miss Bomb?" The princess asked, getting a thought train going.

"Yeah."

"And he only kills those that attack him, right?"

"Yeah, and?"

"So he's not a wanton murderer. We can talk to him."

"Assuming he even understands us or wants to. He didn't say a goddamn thing to me or anyone else." Cherri's foot was tapping impatiently.

"Now you tell us?" Angel asked with his eyebrow raised.

"I-It's ok. We know that he won't attack on sight if we don't provoke him. So once we spot him, let me take the lead." The princess almost radiated confidence, fueled by her desire to defend her home. The others were not so keen to catch on, however.

"Hon, we will, but you gotta promise to be careful. This thing, man, whatever it is, he can end you if you make a wrong move or do something out of turn." Vaggie warned her. Before the concern could go any further, the Radio Demon intervened.

"Now now. Let's all remember whose show this is, my sharp-mouthed, spear-totting, male avoiding dame." Even though he meant it as a reminder, Alastor's towering figure made it sound like a threat from her perspective. He turned to the heiress with the same effect although it was slightly lessened seeing as she was a bit taller than her girlfriend.

"What's the next act gonna be, my charming, captivating and conniving cutie?" He almost bowed but kept his eager red eyes on Charlie.

"We go and save the west side of the city and any who are left alive. And the best way to do that…" She rolled up her sleeves to signal her rising determination.

"… Is to stop the main event of the show." The Radio Demon finished for her, his teeth sharpened beyond belief. Nobody saw his expression as they looked forward, but his true demonic features flashed for a brief instant as his innermost desires for destruction, domination and corruption took over for that one moment of pure expectation.

"Well, what are we waiting around for? Let's all go live or die together." Cherri finished the prep pep, pulling out a grenade in the other hand as her and the other three formed up on Charlie once more, the princess taking the lead into the depths of the west side.

They walked for at least thirty seconds with no more sounds of combat or sights of carnage, except for the occasional body here and there. The only noises were the small fires burning out on the destroyed cars, buildings and a few corpses. Another thirty seconds of walking, their steps slowing down with each second ticked. They looked around at the devastation; there were no signs of life anywhere, from the described man to any demon. Save for the buildings around them, at least those that were undamaged, the scene before them looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. Many vehicles were either blown up or got their hoods slammed in by what looked like the force of a freight train. The squad of five stopped, looking around for any clues as to the whereabouts of the perpetrator of the scene.

"Where is he? I can't find shit in all this. No footprints, no bloodstains leading somewhere, no clear marks of casings, nothing." Cherri quietly noted, making sure to cover her six while behind the group.

"Just keep looking. We need to find him before…" Charlie spoke up, but her ears caught wind of something a few meters ahead of them, slowly edging toward it with caution.

"What it is, Charlie?" Angel asked but was shushed by her as she raised a finger for their attention.

"Listen."

At first, they heard only the sparks of the flames and a few metal creaks, but after a few moments of silence, the group heard a strange grinding noise coming from a building's corner just ahead of them. Charlie looked to the others in question before slowly advancing forward, the others close behind her. As they neared the corner, the grinding was becoming clearer, Charlie, Cherri and Alastor recognizing it as a whetstone sharpening a blade. Sticking to the wall, the princess and her group slowly and carefully snuck a peek behind the corner.

In the middle of the street, surrounded by a dozen dead bodies and a few blasted police cars, sat an armored man on a slab of rubble, meticulously sharpening a blade attached to his left gauntlet. He was tall and wide, or at least that's what the suit made him look like as he quietly whetted his instrument of murder. Beside him, a shotgun with a chain on its belly rested on the rubble, awaiting its wielder's hand to make it spew fire and death as if a patient bloodhound ready to charge at its master's call. The helmet obscured most of his head, but his back was turned to the group, who studied him carefully.

From the distance, short as it was, he looked almost… content, even dare they say serene. He gave no indication that he knew the group was there, focusing solely on his work and unaware of his surroundings. Alastor, however, knew better, sensing the ever-growing cognizance of this man, the veneer of calm serving to make others drop their guard. Motioning for the group's attention and then ears, he turned them around to him as they went back behind the pillar.

"He'll sense us the moment we step out of cover." His voice was normal, indicating a serious edge to it. To his credit, he had never encountered something like this before; he knew the others couldn't see it, but the stranger radiated some sort of unknown aura in his eyes, as if he was something more than he appeared.

"What? Pimpy, the guy's literally stroking his tool and believe me, nothing's more vulnerable than a dude rubbing one out." Angel whispered his own thoughts to the group, getting a slew of different reactions out of them.

"Trust me, Dusty Boy, the best courses of actions we got are; launch everything we got at him and hope to god we catch him off guard or run like fuck." Cherri intervened.

"We can sneak up on him from all angles, get him while he's distracted." Vaggie offered her own two cents.

"Did you not just hear me explain why that is a very bad idea, Vagatha?" Alastor repeated himself, although his tone was rather jovial considering the circumstances.

"Yes I did and don't ever call me that!" She whispered sharply, fighting the urge to spear him in the throat.

"Everyone, focus. No funny business, explosions or lewd comments, alright? We can't afford to provoke him." Charlie did her job of trying to keep the group from succumbing to their whims rather admirably.

"Well, whatever we do, we gotta do it fast before he-" Cherri peeked out carefully, going deathly silent at the sight, or rather the lack of one.

"-He's gone."

"What?"

At her comment, the others peeked out as well, seeing the pile of rubble the armored man sat on now empty, their stomachs churning with concern.

"Where'd he go?" Angel asked, his tommy gun at the ready.

"Check your corners. Vaggie, eyes on the sky, he could be above us." Cherri slowly stepped out in the open, rocket launcher at the ready.

"Al, you're our eyes in the back." Charlie gave him his duty as she stepped out, walking over to the rubble with Vaggie close to her and brandishing her knives. She inspected the surroundings, seeing no sign of the man and no tracks to follow. He vanished into thin air before their eyes before they even thought of him being capable of doing so, let alone expect it.

"Really don't like being out in the open like this, Charlie…" Angel's gut was starting to get the willies as he looked around.

"I know, but I got no idea where he went. I need to find clues, anything. We can't just keep blundering around in the dark here." She was starting to get antsy as well, spotting no leads or marks to follow up on.

"Dammit… Al, I need your help here." At her beck, the Radio Demon materialized in a red cloud at her side.

"How may I help, my dear?"

"Can you sense anything? You seem to have a knack for this type of thing?" Charlie asked as the others turned to her for a brief instant. Alastor looked down at the rubble and the area surrounding it in thought, trying to pick up on a trail of some sort, a trace of a presence unknown to him. Three tense seconds later that felt like hours, the Radio Demon's eyes lit up in surprise before his grin appeared on his face.

"No need, princess."

"What? Why?"

"… Because he's right behind us."

A single metal click was heard.

Cherri and Angel froze in place, caught off guard in a single second.

The group the turned around with various speeds, Charlie being the last to do so.

And there he was, finally face to face with the five brave demons that had tracked him across the city and through his rampage. They finally got a good long look at the behemoth, gauging his size and strength, the latter more difficult than the former considering he hid most of it. His green armor suit was unlike anything they'd ever seen, as if not from their time, not to mention his modified shotgun. And finally, through the mounting dread, they came to his visor, the visage behind it staring at them, unblinking and unyielding.

And at that moment, the five saw the eyes on this man, two windows to a soul that was utterly and unflinchingly determined to bring complete ruin to any demon that dared show itself before it. It was all it took for the small, single but very present and very noticeable instance of fear to pass through them.

His weapons were lowered, a shotgun and a massive rifle that could be mistaken for a cannon both gripped by his large fists, as if the latter pair almost didn't need the former to unreservedly decimate all of demonkind. The blade on his left arm was shining from the sharpening, the hungry gleam in its metal itching to stain itself from the blood of all sinners.

Three seconds was all it took to get the sweat rolling down Angel's and Cherri's cheeks.

Another two for Vaggie to almost make her hands bleed from gripping her spear and knives too tight.

Eight seconds later and Alastor still couldn't spot any noticeable weaknesses, his grin widening a bit.

'Now it's going to be interesting.'

Charlie, on the other hand, just looked this man in the eyes. He looked normal, no distinguishing physical features or changes to mark him as a demon. She truly pondered the idea that Cherri wasn't mistaken when she said she saw a human face. The visor obscured it a bit, though. She needed a closer look.

… And just now, it hit her how excited she was. What if this was an actual human being? How could he survive down here? For that matter, how did he even get here while still alive? How did he acquire Exorcist powers? Did they belong to the angels or were they all his own? So many questions swam in her head that she struggled with the simplest of reactions.

A second metal click from the cannon returned her to reality as the man stared them all down. Despite his short and literally explosive reputation, he seemed patient, as if studying or looking for something from them.

Angel's nerves got the better of him as he slowly tried raising the tommy. A literal tenth of a second later, the Slayer's shotgun was aimed at him, putting the others on guard except for the Radio Demon, who observed him as quietly as the Slayer observed them.

"Angel… lower it." Cherri signaled him, slowly putting her rocket launcher away as well.

"But-"

"Just. Do. It." She made it clear this was not up for debate. Angel put his gun away, tucking it in his coat before adjusting it slightly, raising a pair of hands up to his chest.

The Slayer continued watching them, uncertain of whether or not they were truly deserving of death. He had sensed them tracking him a while ago, but they didn't have the bloodlust the others had, only a purpose he couldn't surmise. The cyclops from before was with them as well, which he assumed had led them on the trail he left. Still, he held her no grudge; she had the same reaction to him as he did to this new world. What remained to be seen was what the red one intended to do, locking eyes with him for a brief moment.

Individuals of extraordinary strength communicate differently from others and the Slayer and Alastor were on par; the Radio Demon had never seen anyone with such unrelenting determination and with the power to not only turn it into a wave of annihilation but to also control it perfectly and refuse to let it corrupt him. The Slayer, on the other hand, sensed a great deal of magic emanating from this particular demon, enough so to be considered an actual threat instead of fodder like the previous rabble. Despite him being dressed in a striped tuxedo, the Slayer knew better than to judge by appearances, especially where demons are concerned, just as Alastor didn't underestimate the defensive capabilities of the Slayer's combat armor. Needless to say, they both found an obstacle in the other, signaled by Alastor's grin relaxing into a smile and the Slayer's narrowing eyes.

The standoff was put on hold, however, for the princess of Hell had other things in mind. Charlie took two slow, small steps forward, trying to let the Slayer know she meant no harm. She got about three meters away from him before he clicked the cannon a second time, the princess immediately getting the message.

"Ok, I get it, far enough." She whispered as she stopped, Vaggie trying desperately to get her legs to move alongside Charlie, but to no avail, hoping being all she could do at this point.

"Uh… Hi." It was all Charlie could start with, the others looking at her with mixed reactions, ranging from Angel's incredulousness to Alastor's raised eyebrows in amusement. The Slayer observed her motions intently; there were things he once thought were impossible and a demon having no malicious resolve was one of them. Now, having been proven wrong at this very moment, he needed to decide whether or not it was his instincts failing him or the demonette being genuinely kind.

"Uhm… My name is Charlie and I'm the, uh… the princess of Hell. Y'know, the place you're tearing up right now." She introduced herself rather awkwardly. The Slayer's eyes remained fixated on her, a few blinks signaling both confusion and confirmation of several of his questions. This was indeed Hell, but it was unlike anything he'd seen before from the place. Also, he had never heard of the Dark Lord having any children. If he did, they'd be long dead by now, hunted down by the Slayer to ensure the complete extermination of the wretches.

No. This was something different and he would see the mystery behind it solved.

"What's your name?" She asked the simplest of questions with the purest innocence, as if a child meeting a potential friend for the first time. And yet the Slayer kept his silence, out of mistrust of her kind that saved his life many times and out of the sheer absurdity of the fact that he found purity in a demon.

After a full ten seconds of hush from the man, Charlie was starting to get a bit antsy, hoping she didn't offend him somehow. Having never met a human in her life, she didn't know what to think at all in this situation, only going with what she thought was best and most accommodating.

"Uh… Can you talk?" She genuinely thought he was incapable of speech. The discomfort only increased as he remained quiet, so much so that the only noises on the scene were the embers burning out and spewing the occasional tiny spark.

"Right… Ok, then… I-It's ok, we can make this work…" She started with a whisper to herself but only became loud enough to hear when her brain realized she had no idea how to actually make it work. Why did it all of this felt like stepping out into some new frontier?

"Alright, well… Oh, yes! Of course. These are my friends and coworkers." Charlie motioned to the group.

"This is Vaggie, my assistant manager and current paramour." The princess started with her girlfriend, who just kept staring daggers at the Slayer, trying extremely hard not to show any fear or discomfort, something she only showed when around Alastor.

"That gentleman is Angel Dust, he's a customer of mine trying to redeem his ways in exchange for a free room." She pointed to the spider demon, who adjusted his top a bit before waving gracelessly, unsure of whether or not he would get his head blown off. And not in the good way, too.

"I'm not sure if you remember her from a few minutes ago, no offense to your memory, but to your left is miss Cherri Bomb, turf holder extraordinaire and an expert in blowing stuff up. She certainly remembers you." At the introduction, all Cherri could do was smile her toothy grin, the sweat of terror freely letting a few drops fall from her head.

"And last but certainly not least, the gentleman in the red tuxedo behind me is Alastor, also known as the Radio Demon, a deal maker and an all-around terror. Much like you, if I'm being honest…" She couldn't stop herself from speaking that last part for some reason, realizing it too late as the Slayer's eyes zeroed in on the red menace behind her.

"N-Not to say you two are the same, mind you! I mean, if you want to be, I wouldn't mind- Wait, no I mean-! Ugh, I'm getting off track." Charlie composed herself before continuing.

"The reasons we sought you out and tracked you down was not only to stop you but to also ask where you're from and how did you end up down here in Hell? As far as I can tell, you're still very much alive and only the dead end up here, sinners and the like. Where are you from?" She inquired as politely as she could, the others still tense from the off-guard catch.

The Slayer stood there, processing the information as clearly as he could; he was in Hell for certain, but this was not the Hell he knew, the previous one scoured and empty. No, this was something different altogether. What also didn't make sense was the time stamp on his visor's HUD; previously, it took some readjusting as to his whereabouts, but now it read 'March 15th, 2021'. Did he really travel backwards in time? What happened while he slept? For that matter, how long was he out? He needed answers and he needed them fast.

"Uh… Hello? She asked you a question, dude." Vaggie finally found her voice, needing to back Charlie up.

"Maybe he's a mute or something?" Angel whispered to them audibly, trying to make sense of the guy and his lack of speech.

"He's not from here. In fact, I think it's safe to say he isn't from our world at all." All went silent as the Radio Demon surmised a critical fact by himself.

"What? Out of what info did you draw that conclusion?" Vaggie wondered why this hairbrained suggestion even left his mouth in particular.

"Simple observation, my vengeful vixen. Why, just look at him; he has no clue where he is, his aura is different than anyone else's, his weapons are too highly advanced and he has powers we can't quite understand. I'd say we're dealing with a classic 'portal gone wrong' prank. Although… If not from our world…" He contemplated that little nugget for a few moments before giving up and asking the question.

"… Where exactly is he from? Earth?"

The others had no clue what to say, only shoulder lifts and empty palms.

"Are you from another world?" Charlie asked the Slayer, who took a few seconds before shaking his head once.

"Are you from Earth?" A slight nod as the staredown continued.

"The fu- No one I know from Earth looks like that. And where the shit did you get those weapons? They got absolutely no models up there that look like that… do they?" Cherri tried reasoning before realizing she didn't really know; a lot has happened up there since she died. Or maybe it was little as one tends to lose track with all the shit going on down here.

"And he doesn't talk… or doesn't want to. Either way, we got zero clues here. What do we do?" Angel asked, words and thoughts unable to find a way through this predicament.

"First, we get him to calm down. We don't want our heads blown off." Vaggie suggested as she held Charlie's hand, the princess still trying to peer through the visor of the Slayer. The light teal glow was obscuring it all except for the eyes and she was strangely eager to see what lay beyond the pure wrath they gave off.

"Hon? What's wrong?" She couldn't hear Vaggie's question as she leaned slightly forward, her hands lowered and her body almost moving on its own. Vaggie tried holding her back, but Charlie's gentle touch broke that plan apart, the princess now stepping forward bravely, her fear much weaker than her curiosity.

The Slayer seemed to allow this as his weapons were lowered and unprimed; despite his mistrust, he needed to know what exactly happened while he slept and what to do about it. His instincts told him that despite her origin and her aura, the princess was tame, almost innocent.

Almost.

They were still demons and he still didn't trust any of them on habit, but he had to have answers.

Having ascertained his own goal, the Slayer straightened up, letting Charlie know that she was clear to approach, a sign the princess caught and wasted no time coming within a solid meter of him, a feat of bravery that got the ball rolling on another, one that alarmed every single one of her acquaintances and yet she went on without hesitation.

Charlie extended her hand to the Slayer.

Nobody knew what to do next, not even the Slayer himself. The sudden motion took everyone off guard, forcing them to stick to what they knew best; Angel and his dirty jokes which he had a hard time figuring them into this situation, only finding solace at that particular choice of words, Vaggie and her need to stand by Charlie, even though she knew had little to no chance of even scratching the Slayer's attention span, much less his armor, Cherri and her explosives now silent and at a loss of a target. The Radio Demon merely observed the unfolding scene, hoping for a little more entertainment.

"Uh… So… Yeah… You, uh… know what a handshake is, right?" Once again Charlie found herself doubting due to the Slayer's silence. The man himself was of no help at all, still maintaining his stoic demeanor. He usually let his weapons and actions speak, having never bothered with words since their meaning could be misinterpreted or worse, twisted. The mistrust was also another hurdle, one that gave him time and a solid form of protection. Charlie, however, was patient and observant; not talking didn't necessarily mean not communicating. Her mother taught her to read the room from a young age, since she was a partygoer and a mingling soul, at least with the upper classes. Back then, Charlie thought them boring and tedious, but only now did she understand why Lilith wanted to impart them to her.

"Don't worry. I'm not trying to make a deal with you or anything nor am I trying to hurt you." The princess began defusing the walking nuclear bomb in front of her, knowing that one badly crossed wire would end up with all of them erased from existence. Nobody ever accomplished anything without being the slightest bit brave, however.

"I know you're confused. I know this is all new to you. And most of all, I know you have zero reason to trust us." One short sentence after another, Charlie's regal composure showed throughout the entire attempt, making her a bit proud of her upbringing, although she would never say it out loud. Still, caution was necessary.

"But it's the exact same for us as well. The damage you did to us… well… demons are immune to the pain they inflict on their own and themselves, but you somehow managed to upheave that. You killed them for good, as in they're not coming back." She revealed the source of their worry, making the Slayer's narrow slightly in the revelation.

Ever since he arrived and killed his first demon, he felt his strength increasing along with his endurance and speed. Ever so slightly, but it was there. He chalked it up to the suit absorbing Argent Energy and his body adapting to the changes until he remembered there was nothing of that sort anymore. All of it was gone and scoured and his suit didn't detect any traces of it in this place. It confused him for a moment, but he returned his focus to his current predicament.

"You said you were from Earth, right? Well, no human has had any special powers, at least as far as we're aware of." Charlie returned to explaining why exactly he was an unusual sight, even in Hell. Just then, however, something in that sentence grabbed her attention. She mulled over it a little, deciding whether or not it was appropriate to ask given the current situation. Curiosity won out in the end and Charlie looked around, trying to find the right words for the question regarding the being in front of her.

"In fact, I… Uh… I apologize if this offends you and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but…" She struggled to find the suitable expression, settling on the simplest.

"Are you human?"

The innocence of that question didn't surprise him as much as the perplexity behind it. She genuinely had doubts he was a human being. What baffled her the most, however, was his reaction.

He had none. No head shake, no nodding, he just… stood there, staring at her. At that moment, through the green glow of the visor, she saw a tiny twitch in his eyes. She thought she imagined it, but he also glanced aside downwards for a full second. The whole thing suddenly became incredibly awkward for her, the princess trying desperately to board the train of thought she tumbled out of, making her lower her arm.

"O~ kay, then. So, uh… Wow, this is friggin' embarrassing. Alright, so. Mister, uh… You know what? Forget it. What we need to focus on right now is your actions." She continued on, composing herself quickly.

"I don't know where you came from or who you are, but this is my home and my kingdom and whatever goes on in here is my business. Therefore, I must kindly ask you to stop slaughtering my subjects." She straightened up, her eyes reaching all the way up to his chin. For a demon, she certainly was tall and she used it. Size mattered little to him, however; it only gave him a bigger target, one easier to hit.

"I know they're not the best examples of decency or friendliness, but I don't believe that eradication is the way to go about dealing with that. There are other ways, one in particular which I'm trying to steer everyone down here towards. So before you consider anything else, hear me out. Will you do so?" The princess extended an offer to him, one she was certain he would take. His stoic demeanor put her off course, however, as she had no clue whether or not he agreed or was just measuring how fast she ran so he could grab before she turned tail and butcher her in ways unimaginable. His towering stature, overwhelming strength, superior firepower, unholy speed and imposing will gave her mind and body a myriad of reasons to run and never look back.

But this was her home and no one, not angel, demon, human or whatever the being in front of her was would take it from her or threaten it while she drew breath.

The Slayer couldn't do anything but observe this strange girl in front of him, trying to present herself with a position of strength and regality. No, not trying. She did do those things despite being outclassed and afraid. In the face of death, she stood proud and matched his will. Only one other has ever done that and even then, it was out of mere disgust and anger at the universe around him. The princess did so out of a different motivation, one he had trouble gauging. Seeing no way through with directionless violence, for once in his entire life, the Slayer settled on listening to the Princess and trying to figure the predicament he was in.

For now.

His small nod signaled Charlie to continue on with what he considered a tirade, although he thought that for almost every 'conversation' that came his way.

"Ok. Cool beans. So, I have a grand dream, one that soon turned into an idea. Sinners and saints are one and the same to me, all humans once, some having to make difficult choices, ones that ended with them coming down here upon the ends of their lives. But… Hell is not a punishment, at least not to me. Hell is… a gas stop." She began her grandiose speech, ending the first part with a simple metaphor.

On the sides, her friends and coworkers watched with different expressions, Cherri elbowing Angel in question.

"A gas stop?" She whispered it.

"Told ya she was crazy." He whispered back.

"Knock it off, you two!" Vaggie got the duo silent as she prayed silently that Charlie not screw this up or worse.

"Hell is a place not of final punishment and suffering, but a way to look at oneself, think about the choices that led us here and to atone for them. That's right, mister. I'm talking about redemption." Charlie started to sound more and more like a TV salesperson with every word spoken. The last part, however, is where the Slayer visibly raised an eyebrow.

He had heard a lot of bizarre things throughout the course of his existence, but this one took the grand prize, smashed it on the floor and laughed out loud. Demons spat on the idea of redemption and many of the ones he just slaughtered didn't even try to confess or beg for forgiveness, only for their wretched lives. Everyone that tried fighting him had only bloodlust or anger in their eyes, the aforesaid only turning into fear when they saw how quickly he mowed them down. None of the ones that attacked him even knew of the concept, much less asked for or were worthy of it.

And yet, in front of him now at this moment of insane clarity and muddled knowledge, stood a demon who not only preached the possibility but was also its greatest supporter. Before he could even think of how absurd this whole situation was or that he was in some sort of malfunctioning simulation, Charlie got his attention yet again.

"Being the princess of Hell and a firm believer in the clause that inside every demon lies a soul worthy of Heaven, I, Charlotte Magne, have opened a grand hotel that rehabilitates sinners!" Charlie finished with a bow.

No sounds were made by anything, not even the wind; nobody was sure of what to say after that as they were still struggling with the context that the Princess of Hell advertised her hotel of acclimatizing reprobates to what was essentially a brutal and ruthless demon eradicator. They had to slap themselves mentally after the previous thought resonated through their brains. Thank evilness no one else was here to witness the unfolding insanity or they might've made it worse. Charlie raised her head, standing up straight and with even more pep to her soul if that was even possible.

"To that end, I implore you, mister demon slayer, to cease the senseless massacre of my people. There are better ways than just wanton murder to deal with our overpopulation problem." Charlie explained with the sincerest expression, only now realizing that she had mentioned why she wanted him to stop.

"Yes, Hell is overpopulated, but that doesn't mean we must act like we deserve this place. Some are willing to stay, true, and some do warrant it, but those that don't need to be given a chance. And in order for that to happen, I have to do what is right by them… even if…" She paused for a second, knowing that despite everything, she still had to push forward for her dream to come true.

"Even if they don't always think they need it or want it. Especially so."

She took a breath, looking up to the Slayer and extending her hand again.

"To that end, mister demon slayer, I propose a truce between you, me and the inhabitants of Hell. Whaddaya say?"

Even the passing tumbleweed stopped for a second to stare at the princess along with the rest of the bewildered group.

The Slayer, on the other hand, had heard enough. There was no point to this farce, no matter how much the girl would claim otherwise. And she would if he let her. Without any further ado, he turned and walked away, his heavy steps echoing throughout the quiet streets.

"… Well, that was anticlimactic. I hope there's more to this show than what just occured." Alastor was the first to comment on the unfolding act, but the others either didn't listen or were still tied up on the princess' 'invite'.

"I'm sorry, but… WHAT THE FUCK?!" Vaggie eloquently described the situation and the feelings it imparted on the group.

"So… nobody's getting blown up? Usually, I'd be depressed saying that, but this is a monumental exception." Cherri put away her rocket launcher and grenades.

In front of everyone, Charlie was the most struck by the rejection. Not only did she lose the only thing that could give her answers but also the chance to see what a human was like at length. He never answered her question on whether or not he was one, though. He never ever made a sound. A festering dissatisfaction spread throughout her whole body, an itch that couldn't be scratched unless she got to the source of it, which was now literally walking away from her. She couldn't even manage to solve the problem of getting him to stop rampaging, a thought that drove her to ball her fists with a determination she didn't know she possessed. She looked up to the vanishing visage of the Slayer walking away further into the city.

"No. Not like this, dammit." Said to no one but herself, Charlie dashed away in pursuit of the current cause of her troubles, her friends still in a daze after the anticlimax of the 'presentation'.

"Let's not push it, Cherri. Maybe now we can finally-" Before he could say how glad he was this whole thing was coming to an end, Angel spotted Charlie running up to the Slayer.

"-follow our esteemed princess into certain death." He was not getting his fix today, it seemed. Well, at least Mr. Fat Nuggets was safe.

"Come on." Vaggie spurned them on as they followed Charlie, who rushed on ahead in order to keep up with the demon killer.


"Hey! Wait! Please!" She called out to him, trying to catch up. He strode slowly, but his guard was up, something she didn't think of at the moment. As she neared him while he passed through the center of a crossroad, Charlie broke into a run but as she was about to touch him, the Slayer whipped his shotgun around, the fire spitter aimed directly at her head.

Time stood still for the princess as she raised her hands up to her chest in a flash, signaling her meaning to do him no harm and that she was defenseless.

"Right, sorry." It was all she could say at the moment, the outside world seemingly becoming irrelevant as she faced off against the Slayer, feeling as if she was fighting for her life. Given the Slayer's eerily steady hand, she most likely was.

"Look, I know it sounds out of the blue but believe me, you're not the only one that feels out of place here. If you let me, I can help you with whatever you want." She began, trying to calm him down. Ever since she saw him, she knew there was absolutely nothing evil or demonic about him at all, but whether or not he was a threat remained to be seen. As with everyone else, the princess believed that with the right touch, even the most savage of beasts could be soothed and gentle was one of her strongest points. Everything hinged on this talk, however, all or nothing to the finish line in order to protect what she loved.

And Charlie was an all-in kind of girl when it came to happy endings.

"If you come with me, to the hotel, I can give you a free room until we figure where exactly you came from and, if possible, how to get you back there." She cut right to the chase, seeing no reason to hold anything back.

"But you must stop killing my people. I know that… Look, they might be… most of them are bad, yes, but…" She almost caved in under the pressure, both of her own doubt and the Slayer's steel gaze. One deep breath later, however, and she was right back on track.

"But if we play by the rules and archetypes the worlds above impose on us and brand us with, then we're no better than what they claim. I can show them otherwise." Her head rose slowly until her eyes matched the Slayer's in terms of will. She would not lose this. She couldn't lose this.

"I will show them otherwise. And you can bank on it." For the first time tonight, Charlotte's voice was firm and strong. The Slayer stood unmoving, the shotgun still aimed at head, waiting eagerly to spill the princess' blood and chunks all over the pavement. Its master had second thoughts today, however, for something in Charlie's voice challenged him; could demonkind truly be worthy of redemption? And why would someone of her stature believe that? He needed answers and he was getting nowhere on his own.

"I can't guarantee anything. After all, I'm not sure where you even came from or how you got here in the first place. But should the worst come to pass, I promise to protect you to best and utmost of my abilities. On the condition that you don't kill anyone unless it's in self-defense." She put her foot down on her terms, knowing that the man had little choice on the matter. It was a bit harsh, but he looked like someone who could not only take it, but dish it back tenfold.

She just hoped she wouldn't be on the receiving end of the latter.

As always, the Slayer's silence was her answer.

The red skies of Hell's nights seemed a lot more tranquil today; she always liked colors, even getting her dad to come up with multiple rainbows in one day just for her. Nobody appreciated the stunt he pulled for the sake of his daughter, but nobody would also dare raise their voice in protest. She sometimes wondered if her desire to strike out on her own is what carved a rift in their relationship. Things used to be better… she just didn't know how much back then. Nobody ever truly could until those ties were strained and broken. She wanted to grow stronger from it, but all she did was build a hotel that nobody wanted to be a guest in.

Why was she thinking that at this very moment? Did it all come back to it, her and her father pulling in different directions, thinking that what they were doing was best for the other? Even Lilith was getting a bit tired of their back-and-forth father-daughter tug of war, promising to not get involved unless things got dire. They never truly did, but close calls were still there, the hotel being the newest one. Charlie just hoped she would resolve it before she estranged her mother as well.

'Am I really in the wrong here?'

A question with no answer… or maybe too many to count.

One was given, however, when the Slayer lowered his shotgun.

Charlie's eyes opened a bit more, trying to ascertain what the man was trying to do. He wouldn't speak so she had to read his body language carefully. For the first time tonight, though, she felt like progress was being made in the right direction. She lowered her hands, unsure of what to do next.

"Huh… third time's the charm, right?" She told him gracelessly as she extended her hand to him for a third try.

The Slayer had worked with a demon before or rather, watched as it built him the Praetor Suit he now wore. Allying himself completely with one was… not on his agenda at all. This, however, was a different world with different rules. It was most certainly not the Hell he was used to. He adapted physically, but he needed to adapt mentally as well. The most remarkable thing about this predicament was now extending a handshake to him. She wasn't spotless or pure, but she was closest to it. Of that, he had no doubts.

And right now, he could use some assistance with getting used to this new world.

He stored the heavy cannon into his portable unit, eliciting a show of wonder and curiosity from Charlie with the display of advanced tech. The shotgun was still present as he needed a form of defense against any surprises, tightly gripped in his left hand.

His right one now slowly began rising toward Charlie's, the princess' spirits slowly but surely lifting along with it. Within seconds, his hand was inches away from her own, the hesitation still gripping them both. For him, though, there was no point in turning back.

And with that final resolve, the Slayer took the Princess' hand.

The touch was as rough as she expected, although he tried his best not to squeeze too tight. One shake, rigid and strong from both of them, sealed the deal. With the crisis under control for now, Charlotte let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding, relief washing all over her as she took an important first step in securing her kingdom's future…

… And maybe even making a new friend.

It was shelved for now as she heard four voices approaching from behind, all of them with varying degrees of emotion until they reached the crossroad, looking out to the duo.

"Charlie!" Vaggie was the first to break rank, rushing to her girlfriend's side with a big hug, one that Charlie gladly returned. Spotting the Slayer, Vaggie immediately went in defense mode, but Charlie put her hand on the spear, lowering it gently.

"Honey? Wha-"

"Everyone, come here. I have an announcement to make." The princess motioned everyone over as the porn star, the bomber and the Radio Demon gathered around them. She waited patiently for their full attention before winding up for the hit.

"Friends, coworkers." She began, taking a step to the left and presenting them with the destroyer of their kind.

"… Meet our newest hotel guest."

The proverbial tumbleweed kept on rolling for an eternity, or so it felt. Said eternity later, Charlie was still unsure of what was happening. Everyone and everything was as silent as the Slayer, even the goddamn fires. The sweat was starting to appear, threatening to pour out of her entire body in an instant. The reality of thirty seconds passing was finally starting to have an effect on the group, just before their minds completely processed the princess' words.

"What…?!" Vaggie broke the ice.

"The…?!" Angel carried over with gusto.

"FUCK?!" And Cherri put her namesake on top.

"Now this is going to be an interesting story." The Radio Demon simply twirled his microphone in a glee that he hasn't had since the Great Depression.

For Charlie, the reactions went about as well as she could expect, but dealing with that would have to come later. She couldn't risk the strangest find of the millennium getting away from her, which reminded her of a very important question.

"… Do you think he's gonna fit in the limo?" Which led to Angel shaking off the shock and bringing up another important point.

"Assuming it hasn't been jacked, yeah. And I mean the stolen kind, not the fun kind."

One last tumbleweed blew through as the crew of the Hazbin Hotel realized it.

"Crap. Where'd we leave it, again?"

The Slayer was left pondering what exactly he'd gotten himself into.


"Dad, you sure mom won't mind? I mean, she doesn't really approve of my hobby." On the far side of the city, Octavia and her father dragged a large stuffed trophy sabrecat-horse chimera through the street, on the way home from Stylish Occult.

"Nonsense, my little moon and star. Your mother approves, she just… uh…" Stolas tried coming up with an excuse, realizing too late it's not the one he wanted.

"… doesn't care enough to tell me herself, yeah. I know." For a moment, the teenager owlette looked a bit sad before continuing on, trying desperately to find a better topic than the one she started.

"No! No, I mean… She does, it's just… She's very busy with the social gatherings and the presentations and… Well, she-" For some reason, Stolas couldn't let it slide, no matter how thin the string between him and Stella was getting.

"Dad, it's ok. We'll either work it out or we won't. For now, let's just worry about getting this baby across the next fifty meters. We're almost home." Octavia put the subject on ice for now, focusing on getting home.

"Right you are, pumpkin." Stolas welcomed the distraction as they came upon the last street crossing before spotting something peculiar.

Across the street to their left, people were gathering over at a news outlet, trying to listen in on the latest reports with interest unlike any before. Taking a look further down and up, the owl nobles spotted more and more along the way, the crowds becoming thicker and thicker.

"Huh… what got their chins tickled?" Octavia was the first to ask.

"I don't know… probably some announcement the king made. Although, I would've heard of such a thing…" Stolas suggested before backpedaling and composing himself.

"It's probably just another turf being bombastically claimed by someone or other. You know, I should really start teaching you ways to defend yourself against those ruffians." The nobleman simply stated, brushing off the commotion. Before they could continue, a passing conversation between two imp girls caught their ears. Judging by the whispering, it was something of great curio and connected to the crowds and the subject of interest at hand.

"I'm telling you, the entire west side got demolished. I heard it from Dewey." One of them spoke.

"You trust that boy toy cum dumpster? Look, it was just the entrance. Besides, nobody-" The other interjected, but was stopped by the first.

"He was right there. He saw the man who did this. It was one guy, armored, armed to the teeth, freakishly strong and super fast. He was like a… like… a tornado or something."

"Oh, now you're exaggerating. Look, Hopsie, I'm sure it was just another turf dispute. Dewey likes to stir up things and you kno-" Before the second could finish, a breaking news report got everyone's attention.

"Good evening, citizens of Hell. Tom Trench here, coming to you on this lovely, yet brutal day with a special news report. The southeastern parts and entrances of the West Side of Pentagram City have officially been declared a crime scene. That's right, folks. Some murderous, brutalizing, annihilating terror just mowed down the entire area, prompting officials to evacuate those left and close off the parts in question." The stylish short anchorman reported, his spiteful cohost curiously absent from the broadcast.

"Our crew is currently on site with- what? Hang on, it seems we are getting a… Yes, here it is, folks! We're live right now on the scene and it looks like…" As the view changed to show the west side, almost everyone watching the report became fixated on the complete carnage and devastation. Many demons and sinners even began speculating as to who or what could've done this, murmuring possibilities among themselves and all of them increasing tensions.

"Dear Satan… What happened over there, Gary?" Tom asked the anchor from the other end, a short and grubby turtle demon with a pompadour and glasses.

"It's a damn warzone, Tom. Bodies everywhere and not a living damned soul in sight. One could compare this to an Extermination, my friend." Gary's steady and midrange voice spoke through the camera, letting the populace know of the potential threat to their kingdom.

"But the Extermination was only a few weeks ago, Gary. It's impossible." Tom reasoned with his coworker.

"True that, Tommy. Which begs the question of who did this and why?"

"Could it be another warlord on the rise, Gary?"

"After the last massacre and the Radio Demon's infamous appearance, Tom, anything's possible." Before he could turn, Gary's crew spotted the approaching limo, signaling him to pay attention.

"Wait, hold on, Tom. Someone's here." As he finished, the limo stopped by the crew. To everyone's surprise, a tall demonette got out from the side door, revealing herself as the princess of Hell.

"Wow, you guys sure got here fast… Uh, I mean… Ahem." Charlie took a moment to get her steading before turning to Gary and his crew.

"Citizens of Hell. I'm happy to say that I, princess Charlotte Magne, personally handled the incident that occurred here." She hated getting formal, letting her cheery nature slip through in the last part of her statement.

"Princess Magne, what an honor. Tell us what happened here." Gary's steady anchorman voice implored her to explain, but Charlie raised a hand in protest.

"I'm afraid I can't yet. While the current crisis has concluded, another long-term issue has occurred… with the very cause of the incident. As of now, I don't have an answer, but if I'm given at least two days time, I promise I'll come up with a solution to a… currently unpresentable problem. All I ask of you is to have a little faith. Just a little, please." She wasn't really used to giving speeches, doing her best not to stumble on her own words. Adding the last part with a cracking voice that almost sounded like a beg didn't help things.

"Surely there's more you can tell us, princess Magne?" Gary pressed on, but Charlie once again raised a hand.

"As I said, not right now. But I will be making a statement in front of the Hazbin Hotel in two days at midday. Until then, I have no further comments. That is all. Thank you for your time and understanding." She took a bow and smiled as widely as she could before going back in, the limo driving off as the door closed.

"Well, there you have it, folks. Princess Magne herself making sure all is running properly down here in her own kingdom." Gary summed it up.

"And it looks like we'll have more to the story in two days, Gary. That's it for today's special news report, folks. Up next, Connor Flannery and the perils of soap; is hygiene dangerous for you in the long run? Stay tuned and find out." And with that closing segment, Tom Trench signed off to the commercials and a view of the doomsday clock, leaving almost all of Hell at the edge of their seats. Who committed the destruction on the west side? Why was it done? Why did the princess get involved? There were too many questions in the air, sparkling an energy of unease, as if another turning point was upon them.

From the sidewalk, Octavia and Stolas observed the crowds, the murmurs escalating into conversations and speculation.

"Dad? What was that all about? What's going on?" Even she couldn't deny being a little bit curious about the whole situation.

"I don't know. But I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be resolved in a couple of days. Until then, we have a monster to mount, eh?" Stolas was being his usual jovial self, although deep down even his attention was caught.

"Yeah, you're right. Come on, dad. Let's get this bad boy home, I've got the perfect… place… for it…" Before she could lift it, Octavia spotted a peculiar sight on the TV, one she thought was playing a trick on her eyes.

"Hm? What is it, sweetie?" Stolas noticed.

"Dad? Is it just me… or is doomsday clock… turned back a few days?"

At that insinuation, Stolas looked at the TV, the clock in plain sight. He could've sworn it was his imagination, but it really was off by a day and a few hours.

"Probably a malfunction. I'll get them to fix in the morning, we really should have a proper notice for the next extermination. Come on, sweets. Let's go home."

And with that final say, Stolas and Octavia grabbed the weird hybrid monster she picked for her stuffing hobby and headed home, the crimson horizon welcoming them both with a calming radiance that only their kind could enjoy. Yet not even Stolas' eyes saw behind the surface of it, for dark clouds were waiting just beyond it, the rage inside boiling ever stronger even as they hid it.

For as with all impending storms, it always the calmest before they struck.